So I Need You
by LittleKnux2008
Summary: Her mission: to take Evolution down, no matter what the costs. It seemed simple enough, but life had a peculiar way of complicating things.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: ** Yes, the other seventy-odd chapters were removed by yours truly. But before you panic, they will go up again – and they'll be even better. This does mean that I am editing this story. Taking every chapter down and rewriting it. I know some idiot will come through and say I'm doing this just for more reviews, but I'm not. I love feedback, and I won't deny it to be icing on the proverbial cake, but the main reason for doing this is to make "So I Need You" a better story. Plus, I keep getting an eye twitch when I reread this. The sequel muses visited me the other day, but I _have _to edit this before I can write anything else. I can't promise you regular updates, but I can promise you that I'll try. There are entire chapters that need to be ditched and new ones to be written. For those of you returning on this ride, welcome back. There's going to be a few new twists and turns this year. And if you're new to this story that's all for the better. That's it for this ridiculously long author's note – I hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **All characters from the television show are property of the WWE and its patrons. Some show results within the story are in accordance with what truly happened, so those probably belong to the WWE as well. This story, however, is my work. Don't be a moron and try and plagiarize it, because that will just end in all things bad. If you'd like to archive this on a website, just drop me a line and I'll give you permission. Any original characters that come in along the way are mine, as well.

**Spoilers: **This story was loosely based on the events of several shows throughout 2003, so if you look up results for the date given, you'll see some parallels. They start going away as the chapters go on and I don't know if many will make it through the editing process. But, just in case, any results from the 2003 Survivor Series up until November of 2004 could be included.

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**So I Need You**

Prologue

_11/17/03_

Hunter Hearst Hemsley was positive that tonight's show would be pretty routine. He and the rest of Evolution had a handicap match scheduled against Goldberg; an easy win, more to show the guys in the back who really ran this show than to actually compete. Expecting such a bland evening, the former champion was intrigued at the knock on their locker room's door, pleasantly surprised when he opened it to reveal Lita standing behind it. He hated her with an unbridled passion, and he was quite sure that she returned those feelings. She always responded to his acidic insults with equally venomous comebacks, her eyes flashing. So why was she standing outside the locker room that he shared with his cohorts?

"Come to take me up on my dollar, Lita?" Hunter questioned, referring to one of his past jeers toward her. He let his eyes roam lazily over her toned, lithe body, and was pleased to see her bristle in disgust.

"I thought I told you to stuff it up your ass," she replied, arching an eyebrow toward him. "Or perhaps you couldn't reach. Hm… Well, I suppose your bitch over there could do it for you," she gestured toward Randy Orton, who was, at the current moment, lounging on one of the leather couches. Lita couldn't help but grin at the shocked, insulted look that claimed his face.

"What do you want?" Hunter interrupted her observation in a bored voice, and her gaze returned back to him, the smirk still tickling the edges of her lips.

"I want a lot of things," Lita replied, and brushed past him, sitting on the arm of the second couch. Her audacity rendered Hunter temporarily speechless. "What I want from _you guys _is your help getting and staying at the top of the women's division."

"Afraid of losing again?" Hunter prompted. "Because your match at Survivor Series last night was just _pathetic_."

Lita glanced over at him, bemused. "At least I didn't have two people backing me up when I lost. Now _that _would be pathetic. Gosh, come to think of it, I think some moron pulled that yesterday!" Hunter's glare would have boiled eggs, but she just shrugged it off.

"Why would you want help from us?" Ric Flair chose this time to speak up, looking at Lita with a curious expression on his face.

"You can't be seriously considering this, Flair," Hunter interrupted, astounded. Ric shot him a look that silenced any other words he'd been tempted to say.

"Molly has Gail and Victoria following her like little lapdogs. I can't reclaim my title when I get screwed over in every match," Lita explained. "You guys would even the odds."

"Why not ask your boyfriend?" Hunter jeered. "R-V-D," he mimicked the other man's famous thumb gesture.

"He's not my boyfriend," Lita retorted. "He's my friend and I accompany him to ringside. I can't ask him to do the same because…" she sighed. "He doesn't think like you. Rob would never hit a woman. Which also means that he can never protect me like you can."

"Being in Evolution means that there's nothing but Evolution in your life," Ric told her. "Are you prepared for that?"

"Like she'd leave her little frie—" Hunter scoffed, but Lita cut him off smoothly.

"Yes. I am. I've been waiting for my chance to shine, but that's just it. Chances don't fall into your lap. I'm making my own chance by coming here," her eyes were locked directly with Ric's, and they seemed to have an understanding flowing between them.

It was really getting on Hunter's nerves.

"What makes you so sure that we'll accept you into Evolution?" Hunter questioned her.

"Because, you under-developed moron, Evolution is the top of everything. I am the top of the women's division," Lita replied, turning to glare at him. "I get the women's title. That's not all, either. There are things you can't do, people you can't persuade, that I can. You know I could be a great asset to this team."

"She's right, guys," Ric smiled, and looked to Hunter, Randy, and then Batista. "She could really help us out."

"Now, wait a minute–" Hunter interjected.

"I'm the head of Evolution, and as such, I'm making this decision, H," Ric told him patiently before turning back to Lita. "Welcome to Evolution, Lita."

"Thank you, Ric," Lita said graciously, bowing her head to him and standing up. She headed to the door, but Hunter stepped in front of her.

"Don't think you can screw us over," he told her, narrowing his eyes. "We're going to make sure you're in this one hundred and ten percent."

"I got it, H," Lita replied, rolling her eyes. If he only knew… "Now, if you excuse me, I have a Highlight Reel session to get ready for." And with that, she pushed past Hunter and out of the door. As the door clicked shut behind her, she allowed the triumphant grin to cover her face.

Finally, Evolution was going to get what had been coming to them.

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	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Hope you all enjoy this chapter! The disclaimer and spoiler warnings and such are contained in the last entry, if you have the urge to look. Also, since taking down the chapters, I've noticed that the chapter numbers on the reviews remain the same. So, if the site doesn't allow you to send feedback because you reviewed the same chapter a year ago or whenever, feel free to send an email to me (my address is in my profile.) Hopefully, it will change once I put up this chapter. Anyway, I hope you like.

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**So I Need You**

Chapter 1

_11/17/03_

Rob Van Dam had learned a long time ago that it was useless to try and convince Lita to do something differently if she'd already made up her mind. It was something he admired, but today he wished she wasn't the stubborn woman he'd come to know. He had a nagging feeling that her tenacity was going to get her into trouble this time, and a lot of it. Still, he knew nothing he said would make much of a difference. Sighing softly, he knocked on the door to the women's locker room.

"Are you girls decent?" he asked loudly. There were some muffled noises in the room before Trish's reply.

"Come on in, Rob," she said.

He pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he stepped into the room, passing a brief smile to Trish before his eyes moved to find Lita. She was sitting on one of the benches, watching the monitor nearby. When Rob sat down next to her, her eyes flitted to him briefly, but what was happening out in the ring had her attention. He glanced at the screen and saw Eric Bischoff celebrating his triumph last night at Survivor Series and the firing of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

"Looks like we're back to bikini contests, huh, Li?" Trish commented, sending a fleeting look to the television as she dumped her duffel bag into her locker. It was well known among the Divas that Steve Austin was the only General Manager who gave them real wrestling matches.

"Yeah," Lita agreed to her statement absentmindedly. Evolution had appeared on the screen, meandering down to the ring, smirks already on their faces.

"Well, I've got some things to do, so I'll see you later," Trish told the two before making a quiet exit, leaving Rob and Lita alone in the room.

"So…" Rob said aloud, not quite sure how to progress. "Have you told Trish?"

Lita tore her eyes from the events playing out in the ring to look at him. "No," she admitted after a moment. "No, I haven't. The less people who know, the better."

"Lita–"

"Please," she interrupted, "don't tell me I don't have to do this. I've made up my mind, Rob. I'm going to do this."

"Why? Why are you going to do this?" Rob ran a hand over his hair, fighting to keep his frustration in check. "I know you hate Evolution, and I agree that they deserve to get destroyed, but…why do you have to be the one to do it?"

Lita looked down at the tile floor, studying its unoriginal pattern as she contemplated Rob's words. He had a point. There were other people, people that were, she grudgingly admitted, stronger than she was. They could destroy Evolution far quicker than she could. So why _was _she so intent on doing this? She didn't have an answer other than the yearning feeling to tear Evolution apart that burned inside of her. Every comment they'd made, every match they'd stolen…it had accumulated rapidly over the last few months.

Perhaps it was a little fanatical, to develop this plan to destroy Evolution, to take away their championships, but she wasn't going to back down.

"Rob," Lita faced him again, her hand reaching out to touch his. "Just trust me, okay? It'll be okay in the end. I'll be back, Evolution will be for the worse, and everyone will understand why I did what I did."

She wasn't sure if the words were meant to comfort Rob or herself.

"I guess," Rob relented with a sigh, squeezing her hand gently. "So, I suppose things went well with them earlier?" he tried to squelch the hope within him that it had gone badly. He couldn't help but think of all the things that might go wrong, all the danger Lita would be in…

Lita smiled wryly. "As well as can be expected."

"That's…good," he managed to say, struggling to put a supporting smile on his face.

"You don't have to pretend that you agree with it," Lita murmured quietly. "But thanks for trying."

There was a loud knock on the door. "Lita, you're up next!" a male voice called.

"Okay!" she called back loudly, and sighed, standing up and heading for the door. She paused when she was halfway there. "They're going to make me leave my friends. They'll make me prove I'm not loyal to you guys anymore," Lita said softly.

"Lita," Rob stood up and walked to her side, gently turning her so she faced him. Reluctantly, she met his eyes. "I may not agree with what you're going to do, but I understand."

"Thank you," she whispered the words and could not convey how grateful she was for his words.

"I guess this is goodbye, then," he said a moment later, his hands falling to his sides.

"No," Lita interjected firmly and quickly. "It's not. It's a…see you later." She pressed a reassuring smile on her face. There was no reason she should doubt her own words, but…she had a bad feeling about this.

Just the nerves, she told herself. And either way, she was going to do this.

Rob smiled. "See you later, then," he told her, hugging her gently. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away and leaving.

When the door shut and Lita was gone, Rob bowed his head, closed his eyes, and whispered the vile words that had been sounding in his mind during their entire exchange.

"Goodbye, Lita."

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	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **And already, I'm back to writing this story instead of doing my homework. Old habits die hard! Thanks to those of you who reviewed. A couple of you wanted to know whether this story would still be Randy/Lita. All I'm going to say to this is: you'll see. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**So I Need You**

Chapter 2

_11/17/03_

"I know someone who can take you to the top, Lita!" Chris Jericho's booming voice sounded over the arena, and Lita couldn't help but roll her eyes from her seat in the middle of the ring. She already knew what Jericho was up to. Christian, his best friend, had been following her about lately, all toned muscles and charming smiles.

"Don't tell me it's Christian, because that's one person that I don't want to talk about," Lita told him. Perhaps the other man's intentions were what they seemed; maybe he did like her and simply wished to spend more time together. But there was also a chance that he was attempting to use her for something. The second was, sadly, a lot more probable, considering the general flow of things in the company. If Christian was up to something else, be it attempting to get in her pants or to take out Rob, she didn't want to know.

Lost in her thoughts, Lita wasn't paying attention to the words flowing from Chris's mouth. But when music began pulsing through the speakers, her entire body tensed. She knew that theme.

It couldn't be.

She looked toward the ramp to see her ex-boyfriend, Matt Hardy, walking down the ramp. Her stomach was somewhere in the vicinity of the floor, her heart leaping against her rib cage. Matt was here, on RAW. Surprise claimed her face.

They'd been close for a long time, and dating for nearly a third of it. Their relationship had dwindled when Matt moved to a different show, and they'd ended it amicably. Occasionally, he would phone her and they'd catch up with one another, but the calls were few and far between.

And now he was here, in the very flesh, within arm's reach.

She didn't know what to think when he entered the ring and walked up to her. Lita stood from her chair slowly, legs shaking beneath her. Matt's lips curved upward in a small, nervous smile as he stopped just before her. He opened his arms to embrace her, but paused, unsure of himself.

Lita took a step forward and hugged him tightly. Seeing him again, being in his arms again…her emotions were still reeling. Still, questions littered her mind. The most important ones became like a mental mantra, repeating themselves over and over again.

What in the world was Matt doing here?

And why was she getting euphoric, warm feeling all over? She and Matt had broken up months ago. The notion that she still had feelings for him was ridiculous…wasn't it? Lita swallowed tightly. So caught up in her thoughts, she almost missed Matt's whispered words before he pulled away.

"I never should have left you, Li."

She didn't move a muscle as Chris handed Matt a microphone. Her entire body was frozen, her thoughts all over the place. Even while Matt spoke, she could hardly keep her focus. His words slowly filtered into the chaos that had become her mind.

_He's here. He's here, on RAW. Here to stay. Here for me._

All of their times together seemed to flash before her eyes. It occurred to her that she could have that again, and she couldn't stop the happy grin that ignited her face. Matt had moved back to RAW just to see her. It could work this time. He loved her, and she –

Was just trying to hold on to memories, to go back to the good ol' days. The tepid feeling that had filled her fell away sharply, the haze she'd been in since Matt's arrival fading. Things were different now; she'd moved on. And, as tempting as this offer was, she couldn't go back. Guilt nearly crushed her as she remembered Rob. There was something between them, something that had kept her nerve ends abuzz every time she was with him. How could she forget what they had – what they _could _have – so quickly?

"Lita, I have a question for you."

Matt's voice brought her back to reality sharply. She looked toward him, and saw him slowly kneel, his free hand clutching her cold one. Her senses went into overdrive. _No, no..._ Lita willed him to stand up. She couldn't do this, couldn't be with him.

"Will you marry – "

Molly Holly's music suddenly burst from the speakers, cutting Matt off. Lita could've kissed her. She backed away from him, her hands shaking. Chris watched the happenings from his spot by the ring post with a bemused expression.

Lita knew that she should be paying attention to Molly, but she couldn't keep herself focused. If the other woman had come just a second later…

"How about an inter-gender match?" Matt's voice echoed over the arena, and Lita mentally kicked herself for letting her mind wander. Molly stared at Matt, seeming to consider the idea. "Lita and I versus you and a partner of your choice." He paused for a long moment. "If Lita and I win, then she gets a title shot."

"Fine," Molly replied, shifting the women's championship belt on her shoulder. "If my team wins, then Lita is out of a job," she said, setting her stipulation. Lita's worried eyes met Matt's for a long moment before Molly spoke again. "My partner will be…_Eric Bischoff_!"

Lita's gaze snapped to the other woman. Bischoff was far from a wrestler; it would be a handicap match. The redhead frowned.

There was a catch; there was always a catch.

Lita wondered what this one was.

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	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Thanks so much for the reviews, everybody! Sorry it took so long to get this one up. I was trying to make it a little longer, but it wasn't working. I hope you enjoy anyway!

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**So I Need You**

Chapter 3

_11/17/03_

It'd probably been a mistake to think that this match would be easy, Lita realized as she struggled to get back on her feet. Burning pain rushed through her entire body, but she gritted her teeth and ignored it. Her legs were shaking and gave out the moment she stood, sending her crashing down to her knees. A quick glance backward told her that Molly was faring no better. The two had started the match nearly six minutes ago. Their partners were ready at the apron, itching to finally get in the fight.

Lita turned back to Matt and slowly clambered her way toward his extended hand, knowing that Molly must be reaching Eric about now. She was so focused on ignoring the agony racking her bones that she didn't notice the change in Matt's eyes when she leapt forward to tag him. His warm, brown eyes turned to cool ice, all emotion vacating his face as he jumped away from the apron, landing by ringside. Lita stared at him, her mouth partially agape. What was going on?

In her shock, she hadn't noticed Eric rushing up behind her. She didn't even remember she was in a match until he had her pinned to the ground, throwing all of his weight on top of her to keep her down. Lita struggled against him, but all of her energy had been spent on Molly and her mind was consumed by Matt's betrayal.

The referee slid next to the two wrestlers and began the count.

"1…"

Though she knew that her struggling was futile, she continued it, trying to get her shoulders up from the mat. This was her _career_ at stake. Her blazing eyes met Eric's, and she suddenly recalled what pure, unadulterated hate felt like. The little weasel had planned this from the beginning. Matt's return, his kind words, Molly's challenge, naming Eric as her partner… She'd been fooled. And she was about to lose her career for it.

"2…" the referee's hand slapped the canvas beside her head, and Lita had to look away from Eric's grin. When she did, her eyes fell on four men walking down the steel ramp: Evolution. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn't resist hoping that they were here to help her. Eric stared at them with an incredulous look on his face. Her hopes were dashed and Eric's fears alleviated soon enough. Each member of Evolution ignored her clear desperation, instead forming an ambush on Matt Hardy. While their attentions were elsewhere, the referee's hand came crashing down.

"3!" Lita closed her eyes tightly, her legs falling to the mat as Eric rolled off of her. Shock claimed her for a long minute, but the truth began to settle in, and when it did, burning tears of humiliation claimed her. She moved to her knees shakily, covering her face with one hand, trying to hide her watering eyes.

"Get out of my ring, Lita!" Eric's voice did not jolt her out of her reverie. He had gotten a microphone, and was berating her for everyone to hear. Still, his words were the only thing that weren't repeating over and over again in Lita's mind.

She had lost a match to Eric Bischoff, of all people. She was being fired. Little stars danced in front of her eyes.

"I pinned you. That means, as of this moment, you are out of a job," Eric circled her like shark stalked its prey. "And this time, there's no Steve Austin to help you out."

His words echoed in Lita's head. Slowly, she stood up, her eyes on the mat. She was running on auto-pilot at this moment. Her eyes moved to Evolution, who stood by a battered Matt Hardy on the outside of the ring. Matt's misfortune didn't even give her a smidgeon of happiness. Lita stared at the satisfied smirks on the faces of each member of Evolution. Questions ran through her mind like wildfire until she finally realized that this match had been a test; a test of her worth.

She had failed. Failed more than just her plan to destroy Evolution; failed herself, her career…

"You are fired! Gone from the WWE forever!" Eric continued his celebratory gloating. The crowd booed madly, but he didn't seem to care. Even the peculiar annihilation of Matt Hardy by four men he had no contact with could not depress his jubilant mood.

Numbly, Lita moved to the ropes, ignoring Eric's continued stream of words. As she climbed out of the ring, it struck her that this would be the last time that she would leave a ring. Her last match would be that of a loss to Eric Bischoff. It was not the way she wanted to leave, but she didn't have a choice.

It was then, her back to the ring, eyes downcast and full of unshed tears, that her conscience, the tiny, driving voice in her skull, returned in its glory. She slowed and turned, eyes moving to meet Eric's. They stood like that for a long moment, neither of them saying anything. Confusion was clear on Eric's face. Lita's lips curved upward in a devious half-smile. She was Lita; not some wimpy girl that Eric could walk all over. Lita was a necessity of Evolution; not the other way around. She would show them; _both _of them.

"I'll be back," she whispered softly, before turning and leaving for the backstage area.

It was a promise she intended to keep at all costs.

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	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Again, sorry it took so long. Work is hectic and I just got home from vacation last night. Regardless, hope you enjoy!

**---**

**So I Need You**

Chapter 4

_11/17/03_

Lita weighed the cons and pros of her plans quickly in her mind as she traveled through the backstage of the arena, her duffel in hand. Tear tracts were clearly visible on her face, her eyes tinged red. Stagehands turned as she walked by, murmuring their regrets or smirking in victory. They believed that she was deeply upset at her permanent firing, but they couldn't be more incorrect. Had anyone followed her and watched her closely, they would've seen how she never blinked; her eyes filling with tears to combat the dryness. Had anyone known her better, they would've realized that the look in her eyes was one of uneasiness, not despair.

_He's using you_, Lita rationalized to herself. _It's just a matter of time before you figure out why and for what. Why not use him first?_

There were a million reasons why she should carry out her plan, but in the end, when she arrived at the door to Christian's locker room, the most definitive was that this was her only plan. She didn't have a back-up plan; this was her one shot at getting her job back, and she needed to take it, regardless of what harm it might cause. Once she returned to the active roster she'd deal with salvaging her deal with Evolution. Lita reached her hand forward and knocked on Christian's door. It opened just moments later.

"Lita!" Christian's voice quickly changed from surprise to concern when he saw the tears on her face. He immediately stepped forward and guided her into his locker room, one hand on the small of her back and the other shutting the steel door firmly behind her. "What's wrong?" he questioned softly, his hands on her shoulders.

"N-Nothing," the Diva whispered meekly, her shoulders slumped forward and her eyes evasive. "I just came to say good-bye." She peered up at him beneath her eyelashes, praying that he was buying her act.

"Good-bye? What for?"

She saw him send a furtive glance back at the monitor. It was on, but muted. Lita realized then that he had watched every moment of her firing. Why was he feigning ignorance? Playing along was much easier when she knew he had an agenda of his own.

"You didn't see it?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I've been on the phone," Christian replied, "and stretching for my match." His excuses were far too hurried to be true, but she didn't say a word about them. _Come to think of it, I don't think he's scheduled for a match tonight_, Lita thought to herself before speaking.

"I…" she looked away and swallowed tightly. "I got fired."

"What!" Christian nearly screamed the word. His shouting was rooted in his overacting. He was trying to compensate for the fact that he'd known this bit of news for the past twenty minutes.

"You know that Matt is back on the roster, right?"

"Yes," Christian replied, and then realized that he had almost incriminated himself. "It was the last thing I saw before my sister rang."

He didn't have a sister.

"Well, there was an inter-gender match. Matt and I versus Molly and Bischoff. If we won, I'd get the title. If they did, well…" she gestured to her tear-stained face. "I suppose you can figure that much out."

"Oh, God. Li, I'm so sorry," he said. Lita clenched her teeth together. Insincerity was coming off of him in waves. Why hadn't she noticed it before? _First Matt, then Christian. _Two very different circumstances, but they had both been deceiving her, and she was sick of being the victim. "They cheated, didn't they? They couldn't beat you fair and square so they–"

"It was Matt," she said softly. "He backed out; left me alone in that match. I lost to Bischoff."

"That bastard!" he hissed, before enveloping her in a hug. "Lita, I'm so sorry. He's a complete _bastard_. He's going to get what's coming to him."

_He already got what was coming to him, _Lita thought, remembering with satisfaction the beating that Evolution had laid down upon him. Still, she felt the thirst for revenge burning within her. It was something that she would address later, when she was an employee of the WWE once again.

"You don't deserve this…"

Lita was astounded that he was carrying on this long. She leaned against his broad chest for support and stood there as he held her to him. It wasn't uncomfortable, but the fact that he was using her as a means to an end made her hair stand on end. Still, she had a part to play. So she imagined Rob's arms around her in place of Christian's until the other wrestler pulled away.

"I have an idea!" he proclaimed.

Under any other circumstance, she would've commented on the rarity of that occurrence. Today, she stayed silent, gazing at him with silent hope in her eyes.

"Listen, Bischoff owes me a favor. He said that favor could be anything," Christian continued.

"No, Christian. I couldn't do that to you… There's so much more you can get for that," she told him, surprise both in her voice and beyond her façade. She hadn't expected this. Regardless of what he was trying to do, Christian was making a large sacrifice for her. He could have a guaranteed title win with it, but instead he was using it to save her job.

"There's nothing I want more," Christian whispered, cupping her face with his hands. It took serious effort for Lita to suppress a laugh and put on an extremely grateful smile. He kissed her on the lips briefly – a full second of agony – but thankfully it was just on the lingering side of a peck and nothing more. Christian pulled away and took his cell phone from the table, quickly dialing a number.

"Bischoff. It's Christian," he spoke into the phone, his eyes moving across the room. Lita stared at him with what she hoped looked like a love-struck gaze. "Yeah, man, I called to let you know what I want for my favor." There was a pause. "Yes, I know Evolution is in a match tonight. I want you to rehire Lita."

"Are you crazy!" Eric's disembodied voice shouted through the voice. Lita winced. Apparently he liked her just about as much as she liked him.

"No. You said I could have anything, and that's what I want. Now is it done?" There was a long pause before Christian sighed with relief. "I want to three-way Mrs. McMahon and have you relay the news yourself. I'm not in the mood for any surprises down the way."

Lita listened vaguely as Mrs. McMahon came on the phone. She had to hand it to Christian: he was playing his cards right. Now Eric wouldn't be able to turn back on his word as he often did. Christian gave her a thumbs-up and kept talking, turning his back to her as he spoke. Lita spotted the folding chair lying against a nearby chair. She quickly grasped it and stood behind Christian.

_Thanks, old friend_, Lita told him mentally She waited until Christian had hung up and dropped the phone from his ear to bring the steel contraption crashing into the back of his head. He fell to the ground and stayed there, motionless. Lita dropped the chair and wiped the sweat off of her shaky palms on her jeans. He had been a necessary casualty. It'd been worth it.

She had her job back. Now she had to prove to Evolution that she was still worthy enough to become a member of their faction.

She needed another plan.

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	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story. :) Having the first write here on my computer, I can't express to you how sorry I am that some of you had to read that one, lol.I'll be in Florida from the 23rd to the 30th,so don't expect an update until then. :) Hope you enjoy!

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**So I Need You**

Chapter 5

_11/17/03_

The vague assessment that luck was on her side came to Lita while she was perched on a black storage case backstage. Ric, in all of his bravado, had Eric change the stipulations of the handicapped match. It was now a no-disqualification match. Hunter had celebrated this change in plan by toting a sledgehammer to the ring. Lita watched the monitor in front of her intently as Goldberg battled against Evolution, using nearby weapons to try and even the odds.

After leaving Christian unconscious in his dressing room, Lita had sent a medic to his room and then come to this spot to keep an eye on what was happening in the ring while she formulated another plan. She had to prove to Evolution that she was worthy of becoming a part of their group. The scheme that she'd come up with made her hair stand on end and had her conscience screaming at her.

_I'm not turning back now, _she told herself firmly. _I didn't say those things to Rob just to back down from them. Evolution is going to get their comeuppance – and I'm going to give it to them._

In the ring, Goldberg picked a sledgehammer from the canvas mat, the very one that Hunter had brought with him. He turned and jabbed it into Batista's abdomen, sending the other man to his knees, eyes widened from the overwhelming pain it caused. Without losing a beat, Goldberg turned to Hunter, brining the weapon to the back of the other man's thigh. Though Hunter went down with a stifled cry of pain, Lita noticed that he'd managed to avoid most of the power behind the blow. Randy had been incapacitated after a vicious chair shot earlier in the match, but now he began to stir, slowly using the ropes to stand.

_This is it, _Lita acknowledged. She leapt off of the storage case and took a deep breath to steady herself, pushing all doubts of her plan out of her mind. The navy curtains whipped around her lithe frame as she passed through them, and, after passing through a darkened control room, she was covered in blinding spotlights. Her eyes focused quickly, and she jogged to the ring. The crowd roared its approval, fully believing that she was here to extract some revenge on Evolution.

They were right, of course. But they wouldn't find out until much, much later.

Her music thrummed through the speakers, and Lita felt a dose of adrenaline release into her system. She slid into the ring beneath the bottommost rope, and when she stood, she turned to Goldberg. He was evaluating her with his eyes, and Lita desperately hoped she would pass the test; that he wouldn't see her true intentions.

Goldberg was as swayed as the rest of the crowd, and he offered her the sledgehammer in his hands with a smirk on his face. Lita tried to match his facial expression as she took the weapon, hiding the anxiousness that had begun to build in the pit of her stomach. She turned, Goldberg still standing behind her, and eyed the man who was perceived to be her victim.

Randy was still struggling to his feet, arms wrapped around the ropes, knees bent and shaking. A cut had opened on his forehead, crimson blood smeared across his face. His nose was bleeding furiously as well. Despite her hate for the egotistical brat, Lita couldn't help but feel a stab of pity for him. His eyes met hers, and she pulled back the sledgehammer.

Doubt struck her. She could end this here. Get her revenge – clean and simple. Be back to Rob and her friends tonight. Her hands trembled. It would be over, just like that.

_No_, Lita realized, as she saw Ric pounding on the mat, screaming at both her and Randy, _It would never be over. _They would hound her for weeks, making her pay for what she'd done. She wanted to destroy Evolution – rip out their foundation, tear them to pieces, and leave only enough for the ravens to pluck at. When she was done with Evolution, she wouldn't have to worry about them anymore. No one would.

She lifted the sledgehammer, aiming to strike. The crowd was abuzz, thirsty to see her payback. Lita swung the weapon toward Randy, but at the last second, she pulled back, reversing the strike.

It collided with Goldberg's knee with a loud snap. He let loose a howl of pain, immediately dropping to the canvas mat. Lita watched him for a long moment, sledgehammer loosely held at her side, eyes unseeing.

By this time, the rest of Evolution had gotten to their feet. Lita stumbled backward, the weapon falling to the mat with a dull thud. Her back touched against the turnbuckle, and she stayed there while Evolution mocked Goldberg; kicking his head to the ground, dragging him to his feet only to shove him down, slapping him, spitting in his face…

Lita looked away, blinking hard. There would be no tears tonight, she told herself, even as Goldberg's cries of pain burned themselves into her memory. _I did what I had to do, _she rationalized. It took a lot of effort to force herself to believe it; to deem a man she might've considered a potential allay a day ago a necessary casualty.

The bell rang before she even realized that Evolution had grown tired of their games. Lita sent a fleeting glance to Goldberg's body to confirm what she already knew: they had decimated him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the medics hovering by ringside, waiting for Evolution to leave. But Ric had gotten a microphone and was in no hurry to leave.

"Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls…" his voice was barely audible over the jeers of the audience. Lita's eyes stayed firmly focused on the ground, trying to keep the shame from showing on her face. "You have just witnessed the beginning of a new era in sports entertainment."

Lita's head jerked upward, her eyes fixing on the white-haired man. Was her joining Evolution really that important? _No, _she thought, _it's not. He's a master of words, that's all. _He was trying to pull her into the group, to puff up her ego to Hunter's size. She would not let herself be manipulated byhis words.

"Evolution has had _every _title in the WWE. Evolution _has _every title. That is, except for one," he paused for dramatic effect. Lita marveled at his speaking skills when she saw the crowd sitting on the edges of their seats, hanging on every word. "Except for the Women's Championship. But today changes that. From here on out, Evolution will rule the entire WWE. And with that said, I'd like you all to give a warm round of applause to the newest member of Evolution…_Lita!_"

The audience booed feverishly as the five joined hands and raised them victoriously in the air. They dropped them after a long moment. With just a passing glance at Lita, Hunter headed to the ropes to leave the ring. He paused there, waiting for the others to follow.

Ric stopped by Lita before going over to Hunter, shaking her hand firmly. "You deserve it," he told her, intense eyes locked onto hers. The words were eerie to her ears, but she reminded herself that Ric thought she believed this was some great honor. Batista bowed his head to her as he passed behind Ric, and Lita had a feeling that gesture was the biggest congratulations she'd get from the animal of Evolution. "Now…" Ric continued, and winked at her, "Let's go celebrate!" Lita laughed and returned the friendly high-five Randy gave her after Ric released her hand. The five left the ring together and headed for the backstage.

---

Hunter and Randy were already animatedly arguing about which club to go to, despite the fact that the medics who had looked them over just minutes ago had given them explicit instructions to rest. Lita walked behind them in silence, only nodding when necessary. It was when they rounded the next corner that her heart stopped. Rob was standing there, looking angry and humiliated. She saw the monitor sitting before him, and her heart sank. He looked up as they walked past, his eyes locking with Lita's.

She begged him silently not to judge her; to wait until she had a chance to explain herself. But Rob pointedly looked away, storming away from her. Lita felt her heart sinking. She desperately wanted to go after him, to smooth things out, but she couldn't, not with Evolution here. A nagging feeling told her that things couldn't be smoothed over, but she refused to listen. She was _not _going to lose her closet friend over this.

Her stoic façade must've slipped, because, ten minutes later, as Hunter, Batista, and Ric clambered into the car, Randy rubbed his hand on her back soothingly and told her, "You don't need him. You've got us now."

Lita said nothing, simply stepping into the car. Here she was, heading off to a high-profile, glitzy club with her newest buddies, while Rob left for an empty, lonely apartment and a night of frustration and sadness. She wasn't sure how much worse it could get until they passed the ambulance carrying Goldberg on their way out of the parking complex.

"You ready to party?" Hunter questioned from the front of the vehicle, tearing his eyes off of the road for a brief second to throw a glance at her. Somehow, the way he said it seemed almost…challenging.

"Hell yeah," Lita said, her lips curling into a devious smile.

"That's my girl!" laughed Ric from the passenger seat.

Her insides churned.

It was going to be a long night.

---


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **I've been going through future chapters and trying to sort out some plot holes, so sorry if there's a bit of delay between updates for the next few. Hopefully there will be none, but…you know how it goes. Real life has a habit of getting in the way. Anyway, thanks for reviewing, everyone! I hope you continue to enjoy.

**Is this story Randy/Lita? **The question that keeps popping up. I'm not going to answer it in detail. Instead, I'm telling you guys to stay in for the ride. A pairing doesn't always make or break the story, and sometimes you find a story that makes you enjoy a pairing you've always loathed. This will be a long story, people. There's plenty of room for all the shippers to get along _and _get what they want! ;)

---

**So I Need You**

Chapter 6

_11/18/03_

She really didn't want to be here. Lita looked around the club and sunk further into the vinyl booth. She and the rest of Evolution had already had their celebratory drinks long ago, and the crew had split up since then. A few women wearing far too much makeup and too little clothing and invited Ric and Hunter to their table. Randy had picked up a random woman and, last Lita spotted, was gyrating with her on the dance floor. Batista had slipped from the booth hours ago, and she hadn't seen him since. Sipping her beer, Lita decided that she would stay for a little while longer and then go back to the hotel. It was far past midnight and it had been a long, hard day. She'd partied enough for Evolution's suspicions to be alleviated for the night.

Still, though the strobe lights burned her eyes and the decorations were far too tacky for her taste, it was better than she had expected. Getting on the good side of her teammates by sitting alone in a booth with ample amounts of booze? _Yup, it could definitely be worse, _Lita acknowledged with another sip of her drink. Something buzzed at her hip, and it took Lita a moment to realize that it was her cell phone, alerting her to a new text message. She debated looking at it for a minute, but eventually took the device off of its clip and flipped it open.

_At least I'll have a reason to keep drinking, _she thought wryly. The first beer was for Rob ignoring her, the second for the damage done to Goldberg, the third for being betrayed by Matt _again_, and the fourth for the stares she'd received while leaving the arena. After that, she'd lost track. Lita usually kept from drinking more than two beers a night, but she decided that this situation was definitely screwed up enough to merit the extra alcohol. With a sigh, she pulled up the message.

**Message received at: 2:03 A.M.  
**_To: Lita  
__From: Trish  
_what the hell is going on? rob won't answer  
his door and u've pulled a brutus on us. explain!

Lita stared at the letters for a long moment before snapping her phone shut. She'd caught a glimpse of Randy headed her way out of the corner of her eye and wasn't about to relay the message to him, should he ask. She slipped the phone discreetly back into its place and turned to watch Randy slide into the booth across from her.

"Fun dance?" she questioned, lifting up an eyebrow.

Randy eyed her carefully, trying to determine whether she was being smart or just making conversation. He quickly decided on the first and rolled his eyes. "You should go out there," he said, gesturing to the dance floor, "have some fun."

Lita laughed wryly. "Not tonight; I'm not in the mood. Plus," she gestured to her drink, "I wouldn't be the most graceful out there."

"Come on," Randy pleaded, but Lita stubbornly shook her head.

"No," she said firmly, and stood up from the booth. "Actually, I think I'm going to go back to the hotel." She grabbed her messenger bag out of the booth and slung it over her shoulder.

"What!" Randy was astounded. "This is your big night. You're part of Evolution now."

"Hallelujah," Lita commented sarcastically before she could stop herself. Sighing, she returned her eyes to Randy. "Look, I'm tired. It's been a long day and we have a flight to New York City tomorrow. I need my sleep. We can party later."

Randy paused before saying something in return. "Hunter isn't going to like this."

"Hunter is too drunk to care," Lita retorted acidly. "And I can deal with him on my own, thanks."

"Whatever you say," Randy replied.

Lita turned to go, ignoring the nauseous sensation from her stomach. _This is the last time I drink on an empty stomach_, she told herself. Logic told her to eat before going to bed, but she couldn't muster up an appetite. She stepped forward as soon as she was sure of her footing, her eyes on the double doors ahead. _Freedom_, she acknowledged bitterly.

"Hey!" Randy called.

She turned, raising an eyebrow.

"Need a ride? You shouldn't drive. The limo–"

"That's okay," Lita told him with a brief smile. She was astounded by his remark. It actually sounded like he cared what happened to her. "I'll just phone for a taxi." Randy nodded, and she turned around and continued walking to the door, pulling her cell phone out as she did so. A blinking icon told her that she'd received two more text messages, and she couldn't resist glancing at them.

**Message received at 2:08 A.M.  
**_To: Lita  
__From: Lillian  
_Are you okay? I'm worried about you. If  
you need to talk, I'm here. _xoxo_

**Message received at 2:16 A.M.  
**_To: Lita  
__From: Christian  
_just making sure you're okay. didn't catch  
you after the show, but medic relayed the  
info to me. you sure that you didn't see who  
jumped us? i'd love to get my hands on that  
bastard. anyway. you free on Friday night?

Lita's jaw clenched tightly and she quickly exited out of the messages. She pushed open the doors, the cool autumn air billowing around her. It took a few minutes to hail a taxi, but when she was finally settled in the warm backseat with the club disappearing behind her, she finally allowed herself to relax, letting the night's events slowly leave her mind.

--

_Finally! Home, sweet home. _Lita sighed heavily, setting her bag down and locking the hotel room door behind her before flopping down on the bed. The large, dark room, bare except for the bed and accompanying nightstand, did nothing to improve the stinging loneliness that had been lurking behind her thoughts all night. She knew that almost everyone in the back thought that she was betraying them. She knew that they wouldn't like the explanation she gave them. And she knew that, in the end, she would be alone. Her friends would accept her betrayal as a miserable part of life within the WWE and Rob would tire of being her secret-keeper, moving on to better things.

She would be completely and utterly alone.

Trying to distract herself from her thoughts, Lita sat up and tugged her shoes off before throwing them in the vague direction of her duffel bag. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and was about to set it on the nightstand when she froze, a sudden thought occurring to her.

_Jeff._

They'd been so close to each other when, with the addition of Matt, they formed Team Xtreme. When Matt betrayed them, their bond had strengthened even more. But over time, they'd drifted apart. Jeff had gone on to join TNA, and between their two hectic schedules, they didn't have time to catch up. Still, it was an unspoken law that they were always there for each other. She knew that if she called Jeff that he would listen to her and try and console her.

But she wondered if the cleft between them was too large, if he'd understand what she was doing, if he would try and talk her out of it…

Lita set the phone down on the nightstand and climbed beneath the covers.

And in the dark of the night, waiting for sleep to claim her, she told herself that she didn't need her friends backing her up on this one. She could handle it just fine.

Somewhere between the lies, her eyelids finally fell shut for the night.

---


	8. Chapter 7

**So I Need You**

Chapter 8

_11/24/03_

Lita almost lost herself in the beauty of the landscape passing by her as she and the rest of Evolution traveled to the Staples arena. But life was far too cruel, and the knowledge of who was sitting with her in the limousine never left her mind. Ric and Hunter had been talking casually for most of the drive. Batista and Lita had both been silent; as had Randy, a sweatshirt balled up behind his head as he slept for the two-hour drive. Judging by the numbers blinking on her watch, there was about a half an hour yet to go until they reached the arena. Lita wasn't sure if this was a curse or a blessing.

She'd spent the last week in near seclusion. A red-eye flight Tuesday night was the quickest ticket back to her apartment, and she'd taken it. Once in North Carolina, she'd taken a day to just relax. Lita had donned a pair of oversized overalls the next day and set to work on cleaning the place. Later, windows open to vent the fumes from the cleaning chemicals, she'd gone through her clothes, weeding out things like her colorful "Hardyz" shirt. Trying to cure her unsettled stomach, she'd gone shopping for a new wardrobe on Saturday. That night, she'd flown into Chicago's O'Hare Airport and met Evolution at a nearby hotel. Earlier this morning, all five of them had gotten on the WWE's flight to Los Angeles.

And now they were here. Lita looked over at the four men and sighed softly, absentmindedly playing with the silver bracelet around her wrist as she listened to their conversation.

"So, what's on board today, Ric?" Hunter asked, stretching his legs out in front of him in the spacious limo. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, his clothing impeccable and professional. Randy, Ric, and Batista, too, were wearing clothes that Lita had previously only brought along for the occasional formal meetings and gatherings that Mr. McMahon threw together. But this morning she had donned black slacks and a low-cut crimson shirt, conscious of Evolution's image.

"Batista's on the match roster with HBK tonight," Ric said, and Batista's eyes quickly moved from the window toward his mentor. "Randy will be up against RVD, too."

Lita felt stares of varying degrees of curiosity upon her, and was careful not to react to the news. Seemingly satisfied, Ric continued.

"I talked to Bisch today, and he's agreed to let you have a title shot against Goldberg tonight."

Lita's head shot up. "Goldberg?" she echoed. "But he's–"

"Going to be at the show tonight, regardless of doctor's orders," Ric finished patiently. "It's a business decision for Eric, anyway. Why should he be paying Goldberg six-digits to sit on his ass?"

Hunter grinned. "Good job, Ric."

"You ought to be thanking Lita," Ric said, shaking his head before looking at Lita, a smile on his face. "Congrats, by the way. You just won Hunter the World Championship."

_Build them up, tear them down, _Lita thought to herself to quench the guilt that squeezed her stomach painfully. _It's all a part of the plan._

She thought of Goldberg and his unholy screams of pain and turned her gaze back to the window.

---

The parking area was cold and quiet when the limo rolled to a stop twenty minutes later. Evolution slowly climbed out of the vehicle and walked toward the trunk to grab their duffels. Lita hung back while the others fished out their bags, preoccupied with her thoughts.

Hunter slammed the trunk shut and she was about to protest when she realized that he had both of her bags on her shoulders.

"You don't have to do that," she said icily, the tone in her voice implying that she didn't want him to be.

"Think of it as a peace offering," Hunter responded finally, eyebrows raised. Anger flashed through Lita like lightning, and she walked up to him.

Slowly, she took both bags from him, placing them on her own shoulders. "Think of it as a no," she told him tightly, before turning and walking away. She heard Hunter sigh behind her before he began walking, too.

"You know, we're going to have to get along sooner or later," he said to her. Lita sent a desperate look forward. Randy, Batista, and Ric were already entering the arena yards ahead of them. With a frustrated sigh, she stopped and faced Hunter, clenching her jaw tightly before speaking.

"Let's get this clear, okay? I'm here because Evolution is the top group in this business. I'm here because I want my title back. I am perfectly capable of doing that and hating you at the same time." A tense silence settled over them before Hunter spoke.

"You're an ungrateful imp, you know that? We're more than a team. We're family."

Lita was briefly surprised at those words, but she was on the offensive quickly. "Oh, really? Then tell me: what's Randy's favorite color? How old is Ric?" Her questions were met with silence. "That's what I thought," she said softly, after a moment of pause.

"Hey!" Randy's voice cut through the still air. They both looked toward the door to the arena to see Randy standing there. "You guys coming?"

"Yeah," Lita shouted back. She threw one last look at Hunter before walking away from him.

She walked into the arena with a tight, satisfied smirk on her face.

She would leave in an ambulance.

---


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **Again, I find myself apologizing for the length between updates. Credit for this chapter goes directly toward the muses – I'm not too sure my brain went into any of this. Sat down and typed for forty-five minutes, and I actually like it. I hope you do too.

**P.S.: **Someone who would prefer to remain anonymous told me I should tell you this, so I'm obliging whole-heartedly: the only thing more plentiful than cliffhangers in this story are plot twists. :D

---

**So I Need You**

Chapter 8

_11/24/03_

Lita had been many things in her life; had thought many things about herself. She'd looked at herself in the mirror with disgust, with disappointment, with contentment, but never before with this mix of emotion that tore apart her insides and drove her eyes away from her reflection to the ground.

Her nails were digging into her palms, her heart racing as emotion after emotion claimed it. In front of her, the monitor continued to play, continued to show her what was being done in her honor.

Christian and Garrison Cade had fled quickly enough to escape damage, but they weren't the prey; Matt Hardy was. There was blood pouring – _pouring_, not trickling, not rolling, but _pouring_, like rivers of pain rushing and crashing down his face – from a cut on his forehead. A dented steel chair lay forgotten on the canvas mat, bouncing ever-so-slightly as Batista heaved Matt's body from his shoulders onto the floor. But it didn't stop there. Hunter, Ric, and Randy stepped forward and continued to lay into Matt; kicking, punching, spitting…

And Lita knew that Matt had deserved the clothesline Randy had given to him with a particular vengeance. She had let out a personal cry of joy when Hunter had slammed his body to the mat a moment later; had given in to the beginnings of a smile when the beating continued. He had deserved it, every minute of that. It was the emotional pain rooted within her projected onto him physically, and she almost had something to genuinely thank the guys for.

But that was when the beating got vicious. The joy stopped cold in her heart as they wrenched Matt's arm to try and drag him to his feet, not paying any mind to the sound of his shoulder cracking out of place. Try as she might, she couldn't get any satisfaction over this. The rest of Evolution had crossed a line, and pity swept across her brow. Her stomach clenched uncomfortably when Hunter brought the steel chair down on Matt's head. A rush of concern ran through her, even through the overwhelming hate she had for Matt. And she couldn't stop the beating, even if she wanted to.

The plan. It was all for the plan. She stared at the ugly, blossoming blood stains on the mat and tried to console herself with the empty reason.

It was over soon enough, though. Matt was lying there, listless, Evolution – her _teammates _– standing over him triumphantly, the indignant cries of the announcers mingling with the strong, wild booing of the audience. Ric motioned for a microphone, and, yards upon yards away, Lita braced herself for his words.

He jabbed a finger to Matt's broken body as he spoke. "This," Ric hissed, "is what happens when you mess with Evolution. Last week, Matt Hardy screwed Lita over. That was a mistake, Matt. Lita is one of us, now – she's part of our family. And in Evolution, we take care of our family members."

Lita felt hot tears pressing into her eyes, and she closed them tightly. She wouldn't cry. She would get through this – alone and disgraced as she was – and she would conquer Evolution.

And _then _she would hand out her apologies. A sinking feeling in her stomach told her that there would be many to give.

---

It had taken every inch of her willpower to appear grateful for what they'd done for her when Batista, Hunter, and Ric returned to the locker room. She'd managed not to wince as they continued their assault on him – this time verbally. After ten long, painful minutes, Lita concluded that she'd spent a sufficient amount of time thanking them and reliving the moment. She excused herself on the premise of finding Randy, who Hunter said had departed for a quiet place to stretch. Lita hadn't planned on finding him, and she was surprised to find Randy sitting on the floor a few yards away, leaning against the wall. He was lost in thought; his eyes closed lightly, his elbows resting on his knees.

Lita knew she was expected to thank him, so she swallowed her feelings again and walked over to him, sitting down beside him. Randy opened his eyes, but otherwise offered no acknowledgement of her presence. They sat like that in the quiet for some time.

After a few minutes, Lita let herself think about what had just transpired. Her fingers curled into tight fists, her knuckles white. Matt didn't deserve all of that – it was beyond cruel, beyond horrific, and all done in her name.

While she was contemplating those jarring facts, Randy's eyes finally slid toward her. Lita caught his gaze and looked toward him, too, and something in those deep blue reaches she saw something that made her heart skip a beat. Was that…regret? Pain?

"I'm sorry," Randy said finally, and moved his eyes to his hands.

Lita didn't know what she'd expected him to say, but it wasn't this. This reeked of humanity, of concern, of…goodness. "Sorry for what?" she questioned, her voice hollow, but Randy didn't turn to her. She followed his gaze to his palms, and felt a lump in her throat as she watched him rub at the blood on his hands.

"It's hard to wash off," he said finally, evading her question. They both knew he wasn't talking about water and soap.

Suddenly, it occurred to Lita that the vicious monster that was Evolution wasn't the core of all of its members. She saw a vulnerability, a morality, in Randy. Would he have done this if someone else hadn't pressured him into it? Something within her doubted it, and a strange surge of pity for him swept through her.

Lita reached over and covered his palm with her own. She waited until he looked toward her to speak. "You did what you had to do," she said firmly, holding his gaze until she was sure that he understood the full meaning of her words.

A beat passed, and Lita wasn't aware of another person's presence until the black boots edged their way into her vision. "Lita, Randy," it was Triple H's impatient voice that sounded.

Lita moved her hand back to her side slowly and carefully before looking up. The ever-present scowl was back on his face, but right now it seemed a little more intense than usual. "Hey," she greeted him, a small smile on her face. The stare he returned to her was teetering on the edge of anger.

"Ric just got back from Bischoff's office," Hunter said gruffly as she and Randy stood, "Lita, you've got yourself a match tonight. And Randy, you're up against Sergeant Slaughter."

Lita swore she saw a flicker of disappointment flash across the young superstar's face.

"What happened to RVD?" Randy questioned.

"Bischoff booked him in another match," Hunter dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Ric is waiting for us back in the locker room. He wants to discuss Lita's match."

Randy and Lita both fell into step behind Hunter as he began walking away. "H," Lita said, taking an extra step and walking beside him, "What is my match?"

He looked at her carefully, as if weighing the news. "A cage match…with Victoria."

---


End file.
